Method and apparatus for training shooting

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for developing shooting skills that take into account the effects of wind on the trajectory of a bullet. The method includes the step of entering basic shooting data into a central unit, measuring force and direction of the wind with at least one wind indicator, feeding the measured force and direction of the wind to the central unit, analyzing the measured force and direction of the wind and the entered data to determine the effects of the wind on the trajectory of the bullet and transmitting the effects of the wind to a marksman. The apparatus includes at least one wind indicator for measuring force and direction of the wind. A central unit is provided to allow entry of basic shooting data. The central unit also collects and analyzes the measured force and direction of the wind with the entered data. The data analyzed by the central unit is transmitted to the marksman through a terminal which tells the marksman what effects the wind will have on the trajectory of the bullet.

The object of the invention is a method for practising shooting, inwhich method the force and the direction of the wind are shown by atleast one wind indicator and its effect on the trajectory of the bulletis determined.

Further, the object of the invention is an apparatus for practisingshooting, which apparatus includes at least one wind indicator forshowing the direction and force of the wind.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In shooting, the wind has a significant effect on the trajectory of thebullet. The effect of the wind is particularly pronounced in rifle andsmall-bore rifle shooting. It is possible for the marksman to observethe behaviour of the wind optically from so called wind vanes whileshooting. The material, surface area, and location or location levels ofwind vanes are separately defined in the rules governing shooting.During sighting shots, the marksman observes the wind conditions byfollowing the movements of the wind vanes. At the same time, themarksman tries to ascertain during sighting shots, how much the positionof the vane may alter and still allow him to hit the desired point.During a competition, the marksman must either wait until the wind vanesare in the same position as during the sighting shots, or else must tryto take changes in wind conditions into account, either by aiming to theside, i.e. taking a deflection, or by moving the sights against thewind. The effect of the wind may be not only lateral, but also vertical,because wind rotates, and often changes its direction due to differencesin level between the shooting ranges and the surrounding ground, such asdividing embankments or protective embankments. Following and head windsalso affect the trajectory of a bullet in different ways. It is verydifficult to master wind conditions by means of wind vanes, and itdemands not only skill from the marksman, but also long experience andpractice.

The intention of this invention is to create a method and apparatus, bymeans of which it is possible to practise allowing for the effect of thewind and following the position of the wind vanes during shooting.

It is characteristic of the method in accordance with the invention,that basic data are fed into the central unit, that wind sensors areused as wind indicators, which measures the force and direction of thewind, and that the values measured are taken to the central unit, inwhich the relevant wind data and the basic data on shooting fed into thecentral unit are analysed and, on the basis of the result obtained, theeffect of the wind conditions on the trajectory of the bullet are shownon at least one terminal.

It is further characteristic of the apparatus in accordance with theinvention, that the wind indicator is a wind sensor, by means of whichit is possible to measure the velocity and direction of the wind, andthat the apparatus includes a central unit, into which it is possible tofeed the basic data on shooting, for collecting and analysing themeasured wind data, and at least one terminal for displaying the dataanalysed by the central unit.

The essential idea of the invention is that the data on the directionand velocity of the wind are measured by means of wind sensors, and thatthe data in question are led through data collection and processingequipment to a terminal, with the aid of which the effect on the wind onthe trajectory of the bullet can be clearly displayed to the marksman.Further, the idea is that a display device, by means of which the effectof the wind can be graphically illustrated, can be used as the terminal.

The advantage of the invention is that the marksman can practice readingthe wind conditions with the aid of the wind vanes, without having thepossible accompanying mistakes in shooting made by the marksman. Afurther advantage of the invention is that the marksman can, forexample, use the invention to ascer- tain when the wind vanes are in asuitable position, so that the shot would be sufficiently good withoutdeflection or moving the sights. An additional advantage is that withthe aid of the apparatus equipped with a display device, the marksmancan learn where the shot would strike, if he were to aim at the centreof the firing table, or correspondingly, where he should aim to hit thecentre of the target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is described in greater detail in the accompanyingdrawings, in which

FIG. 1 is an environmental view illustration a shooting range and theapparatus in accordance with the invention, and

FIG. 2 shows schematically the display device of the apparatus inaccordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates a shooting range and shows schematically an apparatusin accordance with the invention. As is known, the shooting range orfiring is an elongated area where a marksman 6 stands at one end andaims, then shoots, at a target 7 located at the other end. The apparatusincludes the necessary number of wind sensors 1a-1n, which measure thedirection and velocity of the wind. The desired number of wind sensors1a-1n are placed on the shooting range at the desired locations, forexample at the same levels as the wind vanes. The wind sensors 1a-1n canmeasure the vertical direction of the wind as well as the lateraldirection. The wind sensors 1a-1n are, as such, of a known construction,and for that reason they are not dealt with here in greater detail. Thedata measured from the wind by wind sensors 1a-1n is transmitted to thecentral unit 2 in a manner that is, as such, known, for example througha cable or possibly also by radio. The wind data are analysed in thecentral unit 2 and the result of the analysis is led to the terminal 3.The basic data on shooting, for example the weight of the shot and itsinitial velocity, the distance of shooting, etc. are entered in thecentral unit 2. From the relevant basic data and the measured wind data,the central unit 2 calculates the effect of the wind on the shot. Theoperation of the apparatus is controlled by means of the controlequipment 4.

At its simplest, the apparatus only requires the wind sensors 1a -1n,the central unit 2, and the terminal 3. In this case, practising takesplace in such a way that the wind values are calibrated into the centralunit 2, when the wind vanes are is the desired position. Terminal 3could then be at its simplest a device giving an audible signal, whichwould alarm when the wind values change excessively from theaforementioned calibration value. When practising, the marksman couldfollow the position of the wind vanes and, at the same time, listen forthe audible signal from the terminal.

If a display device is used as the terminal 3, it can display the winddata either continuously, or at intervals selected by the marksman. Bymeans of the control equipment 4, it is possible to practise reading thewind optically from the vanes, for example, by the marksman pressing thebutton of the control device 4, when in reality he would fire a shot.The display device then gives a hit value, where the shot would havestruck in the wind conditions in question. FIG. 2 shows a display deviceacting as the terminal 3, in which there is a graphically presentedtarget and the hit position 5 that would have occurred under the windconditions in question, and which can also move in real time as the windconditions change. The display device can also show the point that themarksman should aim at, to hit the centre of the target under theprevailing wind conditions.

The wind can be shown on the display device as vectors, which illustratethe direction and velocity of the wind. For the sake of illustration,the colour of the display can change, when the wind conditions altermore than certain limit values recorded in the memory. The apparatus canalso be connected to an electric shooting target, when the marksman seesfrom the display device his real hit value and, in addition, themovement in the hit position of the bullet caused by the wind.

By means of the control equipment 4, the central unit 2 can becontrolled and programmed in many ways. It is possible, for instance, torecord in the memory of the equipment the wind data and the hit valuesfor a desired period, when the equipment can be used for example in theanalysis of various competitive performances. In addition, the equipmentcan be used to measure and test the wind conditions of differentshooting ranges. For example, a microcomputer can be used as the centralunit 2, the monitor of the computer as the terminal 3, and the keyboardof the microcomputer as the control device 4.

The drawing and the accompanying description are only intended toillustrate the concept of the invention. The invention can vary indetails within the framework of the Patent Claims. Thus, if desired,several terminals 3 and control devices 4 can be connected to a singlecentral unit 2. Further, the central unit 2, the terminal 3, and thecontrol device 4 can each be separate units or else they can beconnected to each other.

It is advantageous to use at least two wind sensors over the shootingdistance, because the wind conditions are not stable over the entiredistance.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for developing the shooting skills of amarksman at a shooting range that takes into account the effects of windon the trajectory of a bullet from a rifle, said method comprising thesteps of:entering basic shooting data into a central unit; measuringforce and direction of the wind with at least one wind indicatordisposed along the shooting range between the rifle and a target;communicating a value of the measured force and direction of the wind tothe central unit; analyzing the measured force and direction of the windand the entered data to determine the effects of the wind on thetrajectory of the bullet; and showing the effects of the wind on thetrajectory of the bullet to a marksman through a terminal.
 2. A methodas in claim 1 wherein the force and direction of the wind are measuredby two or more wind sensors separated by a distance from each other. 3.A method as in claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting the effects ofthe wind on the trajectory of the bullet to the marksman includestransmitting an audible signal that indicates the effects of the wind onthe trajectory of the bullet.
 4. A method as in claim 2 wherein the stepof transmitting the effects of the wind on the trajectory of the bulletto the marksman includes the step of graphically displaying the effectsof the wind on the trajectory of the bullet through the terminal.
 5. Amethod as in claim 4 wherein the step of graphically displaying theeffects of the wind includes the step of displaying on a display devicein the terminal a hit position of the bullet on the target such as itwould be without moving the sights.
 6. A method as in claim 4 whereinthe step of graphically displaying the effects of the wind includes thestep of displaying on a display device in the terminal an aiming pointwhich should be aimed at in relation to the target, so that the effectof the wind is eliminated.
 7. A method as in claim 4 wherein the step ofgraphically displaying the effects of the wind includes the step ofdisplaying on a display device in the terminal a hit position of thebullet after firing and the change in the hit position caused by thewind.
 8. An apparatus for developing the shooting skills of a marksmanat a shooting range that takes into account the effects of wind on thetrajectory of a bullet from a rifle, said apparatus comprising:at leastone wind indicator disposed along the shooting range between the rifleand a target for measuring direction and force of the wind; a centralunit for entering basic shooting data and collecting and analyzing themeasured direction and force of the wind and the entered basic shootingdata; and at least one terminal for presenting the data analyzed by thecentral unit to a marksman.
 9. An apparatus as in claim 8 furthercomprises at least one control equipment connected to the central unitfor controlling the central unit.
 10. An apparatus as in claim 8 whereinthe terminal includes a device for transmitting an audible signal whenthe measured force and direction of the wind and the entered data are ina particular relation to one another.
 11. An apparatus as in claim 8wherein the terminal includes a display device for graphicallydisplaying the effects of the wind on the trajectory of the bullet. 12.An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the wind indicator is a wind sensorthat measures the velocity and direction of the wind.